Storytelling Starters ~ Little worlds
You often come across them on beaches: little worlds that have been lovingly made and left to their subsequent fate by their creators. These little worlds may be excavated pools surrounded by sand-castles and carefully decorated with shells, pebbles and feathers.
Or they may be Stonehenge-type arrangements of rocks. Or maybe, amazingly, lifelike figures created from an arrangement of stones.
I remember making such things as a child.
Fairy pools
So it was a great delight this week to come across a little world in the very process of being created down at Pwll Strodyr, our favourite tiny Pembrokeshire cove. Hardly anyone goes to Pwll Strodyr, which is one of the reasons we love it.
This week, on a beautifully warm early evening, a man and a woman and their young daughter were there. ‘We’re making fairy pools,’ said the man when we greeted him as we arrived. ‘That’s nice,’ I replied. ‘It means you could get some fairies visiting and they’ll probably bring some luck.’
When I went swimming a little while later, I was careful to collect some long strands of green seaweed which I offered to the little girl as mermaid’s hair.
Creating little worlds is a way of making the world around us feel fully alive. I wish all children could have that experience, which can just as well happen in the local park or the back garden. It’s one way of making a story.
Then there’s the other way, which is to be lucky enough to see a story happen in front of your eyes. On the same lovely evening at Pwll Strodyr this week, our friend Eddie arrived for his regular swim. He brought with him that whole other world of story. For things always happen round Eddie and Liz.
Before our eyes
One remarkable day a few summers ago, Eddie and Liz were with us as we walked back up through the fields to the road from Pwll Strodyr. With us, too, were their two dogs and also one of the several cats who used sometimes to accompany them down to the beach. On this occasion, as often is the case, the field we were crossing to get up to the road was full of cows.
‘Watch this now,’ said Eddie. ‘Watch what the dogs do and keep your eyes on the cat.’
As we watched, we saw the two dogs suddenly start running through the herd of cows. As they went, their running had the effect of separating the cows into two different groups, thus creating a kind of corridor through the herd. As soon as this empty pathway was made, the cat – who’d up till then been sitting on her haunches, alert and waiting – got up and ran, hell-for-leather, right through the empty space to the safe haven of the hedge the far side of the field.
‘There she goes,’ said Eddie. ‘She hates the cows. The dogs always help her that way.’
Stories exist. Sometimes we see them happening in front of our own amazed eyes. Sometimes we invite them to happen as we create a piece of landscape art. Either way, it can bring great joy. It makes the world feel more alive.
Happy holidays!
Tags: landscape art, Pembrokeshire, Pwll Strodyr